


Victory Point: April 26, 1848

by d__T



Category: The Terror (TV 2018)
Genre: The Thing AU, all things are exactly the same until the tuunbaq attacks terror camp, frmc is just having A Day, frmc/jcr brotp, light body horror, period typical racism (it's canon!)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:15:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28031487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/d__T/pseuds/d__T
Summary: James dear,You would not f*cking believe what happened today.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12





	Victory Point: April 26, 1848

**Author's Note:**

> this fic sponsored by [this post](https://areyougonnabe.tumblr.com/post/636788014879817728/) and allegra's tags on it.

Victory Point  
April 26, 1848

My dear James,

I know that I have written often wishing of your presence here to help me determine our proper course altho I would dearly save you this march. Today however I am glad for your absence that I may know that you are safe and well.

The events of the last day hardly bear belief. I write now to keep them strait in my mind as much as to convey them to you. We started the morning on a glad mood- I'd thought to promote Jopson to 3rd Lt and James agreed. A happy moment all around and a good humor to send out scouting and hunting parties on. Of the four parties sent, three returned without issue or good news. Of Irving's only Hickey returned claiming that they had been attacked by Eskimaux while you and I know that the natives are substantially of peaceful nature. Suspicious of his claims I went with James, Thomas, Goodsir, and the Lady Silence to investigate, along with Hickey to guide us. The man has not a thought in his head for that skill. We found the scene as described to us as well as meat among the Eskimaux provisions and some strange seeming details. I ordered the bodies of our men and the provisions brought back to camp only to find on our return the men mounting an armed guard. It seems that Sgt of marines Tozer had browbeaten Little into allowing this and combined with some of his earlier actions put himself firmly under my suspicions as well.

I ordered Goodsir to perform an autopsy on Irving's body and found what I expected. The Eskimaux had fed him and the sample from his stomach matched the provisions taken. On this evidence I ordered a court martial and Hickey and Tozer hanged for their crimes. You must know that I take no pleasure in this sort of thing but Hickey had murdered three of our own men as well as five innocents and perhaps taken our chance of making beneficial contact with the natives perhaps thereby dooming us all. An example had to be made and anyone aiding in that had to go as well.

There is little to say about the proceedings thereafter, only that Jopson kept up with his new duties well and while I had determined to speak later with Little about his failings other events took precedence.

During the hanging we were attacked by the spirit bear that I have mentioned before. It later became apparent that we had lost Collins some time earlier to an over dose of medicine and he lured it in unawares. You may imagine the ensuing chaos.

Up til now the story is clear and orderly. Beyond this I must beg your belief despite the incredibility of what comes next.

During the chaos Hickey and Tozer made attempt to escape. I lost track of Tozer almost immediately because of what was happening between Hickey and Jopson. I'd had Jopson minding Hickey the whole afternoon and through the hanging being frankly the best man for the job and good with a gun besides. Hickey made to run and instead of simply shooting the man Jopson exploded into a horrifying mass of spider legs and appeared to wholly consume Hickey in a moment. We have not yet found a body and I do not expect that we will.

James, I swear to you that I have never seen the like and I am glad that you did not witness this.

The thing that was Jopson went in the direction of the bear and only after that did I think to check for my pistol. I went to the armory on the assumption that Tozer would have gone there and was correct but the damned pistol misfired. I managed to chase him in the direction of the bear before backtracking to get the rifle that he'd dropped.

Upon my return I found him sitting and sobbing in the side of a tent and I could not get a coherent word out of him. The bear had gone too and I do believe that Jopson scared it off. I cannot otherwise explain how it left so quickly. There were still losses. Ten or fifteen, the tally is still coming in. There are a lot of pieces. James, I pray to never see dismemberment ever again. This will haunt me for the rest of my time.

I found Jopson after and he would not explain what had happened and would only assure me that Hickey and Tozer would not make problems henceforth. I suppose I must believe him. I am quite afraid of the thing that he turned into and I only wish to assess the threat accurately. He seems less pale and drawn now than before- you recall that he'd picked up a curious and lingering illness during '41 and never quite seemed to recover fully. I wonder if he hasn't picked up some sort of ice spirit or parasite, or released it but if that thing is out there now I'd rather the bear. Of course now he is as demure and helpful as ever.

James, I do not know what else to say. I wish to return to your side with a minimum of further hardship although I do not much expect for the latter.

Yours truthfully,  
FRM Crozier


End file.
